Mind your Matters – May is Mental Health Month

When we think about cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, we don’t wait years to treat them. When people are in the first stage of those diseases, and are beginning to show signs of symptoms like a persistent cough, high blood pressure, or high blood sugar, we try immediately to reverse these symptoms. We don’t ignore them. In fact, we develop a plan of action to reverse and sometimes stop the progression of the disease.

So why aren’t we doing the same for individuals who are dealing with potentially serious mental illness?

When you or someone close to you starts to experience the early warning signs of mental illness, knowing what the risk factors and symptoms are will help to catch them early. Often times, family and friends are the first to step in to support a person through these early stages. Experiencing symptoms such as loss of sleep, feeling tired for no reason, feeling low, feeling anxious, or hearing voices, shouldn’t be ignored or brushed aside in the hopes that they go away. Like other diseases, we need to address these symptoms early, identify the underlying disease, and plan an appropriate course of action on a path towards overall health. Mental health conditions should be addressed long before they reach the most critical points in the disease process.

Many people do not seek treatment in the early stages of mental illnesses because they don’t recognize the symptoms. Up to 84% of the time between the first signs of mental illness and first treatment is spent not recognizing the symptoms and unfortunately the time lost averages about 10 years. Years of struggling, years of wondering what is wrong. We need to help change this and get treatment sooner. Learn about your mental health and consider taking a screening. Mental Health America has screening tools can help. Taken online at www.mhascreening.org, a screening is an anonymous, free and private way to learn about your mental health and see if you are showing warning signs of a mental illness. A screening only takes a few minutes, and after you are finished you will be given information about the next steps you should take based on the results. A screening is not a diagnosis, but it can be a helpful tool for starting a conversation with your doctor or a loved one about your mental health.

Many people avoid the next step and do not seek treatment or see a mental health professional because they are afraid of what people will think. They are afraid people at their workplace might find out, they are fearful of the stigma. It is vital that people who need treatment feel safe and supported to get treatment. It takes courage to ask for help and individuals struggling with mental health concerns deserve our support!

Mental illnesses are not only common, they are treatable. There is a wide variety of treatment options for mental illnesses ranging from talk therapy to medication to peer support, and it may take some time for a person to find the right treatment or combination of treatments that works best for them. But when they do, the results can be truly amazing and life changing.

It’s up to all of us to know the signs and take action so that mental illnesses can be caught early and treated, and we can live up to our full potential. We know that intervening effectively during early stages of mental illness can save lives and change the trajectories of people living with mental illnesses. Be aware of your mental health and get screened today!

For more information on local and regional mental health resources and services contact your local community mental health center: SLV Behavioral Health Group Call: 719-589-3671, Website: slvbhg.org Email: info@slvbhg.org

During our organization’s history we have built our system to ensure the survival and vitality of mental health services in the San Luis Valley. We have continued over the last 30 years to develop new programs and services to increase clinical quality and improve service and efficiency.

We share skills and resources with other agencies in the San Luis Valley and the State of Colorado to build stronger programming and alliances.